It was time we decided to talk about the archaeological areas in the Vesuvian area! In fact, in recent years something has moved in the accessible tourism sector in this area, and we are happy to document it. Of course we will not try to make a new archaeological guide, but to give flashes of what can be done and what can be visited in these sites. We have chosen to treat them all in the same post because they are united by the same eruption of Vesuvius, the effects of which were felt up to Positano. The websites to consult are www.pompeiisites.org, also for Stabiae and Oplonti, and http://ercolano.beniculturali.it where you can find all the historical and practical information necessary for the visit. So let's start with the largest, most important site and on which the eyes of the whole world are focused. POMPEII: among the many achievements of the Great Pompeii Project there is also the one called Pompei per tutti (Pompeii for all), relating to accessibility for people with motor disabilities. Going to the website you can download the pdf file with the complete map of the excavations, on which the three paths (yellow, green and blue) that have been made accessible, including possible extensions, are indicated. We have experienced (for now) the path in blue, which starts from the entrance of Piazza Anfiteatro, continues with Viale Anfiteatro, Vicolo dell'Anfiteatro, enters the central Via dell'Abbondanza, reaches the Forum and through Via Marina allows you to arrive to the Antiquarium, to the Imperial Villa and, through Viale delle Ginestre, to the Quadriportico dei Teatri, and then to exit the excavations through a secondary entrance. We offer you a small selection of what we have been able to visit (it is always advisable to inquire before the visit on which sites are actually open to the public): the Praedia of Giulia Felice:
the House of Venus in the Shell:
the House of Paquius Proculus:
the Forum:
the Imperial Villa:
As for logistics, we certainly recommend having lunch at the refreshment point near the Forum, where there are also equipped toilets (others are at the Antiquarium and at the Quadriportico). The vastness of the area that can be visited makes it impossible to leave the excavations and return after lunch.
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ANTIQUARIUM OF BOSCOREALE: this is a structure created in 1991 and which collects a series of finds from the Pompeii and Boscoreale area; the visit can be an interesting appendix to that of Pompeii. The Antiquarium is equipped with accessible toilets.
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HERCULANEUM: the site, ten times smaller than Pompeii, is quite accessible with our vehicles, both hand-pushed chair and scooter. At the moment there are no paths dedicated to the disabled, but the visit can be made by following the sidewalks, with some attention to the slopes and some disconnections. The toilets for the disabled are located at the entrance.
It is advisable for the guide to carry out an inspection at the intersections to verify the presence of the appropriate walkways and to choose the most appropriate road. Here are some pictures taken here and there:
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STABIAE: the archaeological area of Stabiae consists of three villas located in two different sites: Villa San Marco on one side and Villa Arianna and Secondo Complesso on the other. Only Villa San Marco is accessible for seated warriors, and with some caution: there is in fact a service entrance, which must be opened by the staff, after which there are about ten low and long steps, which can be descended one by one. one, in short, it can be done! Also to enjoy a splendid view of the gulf ... The equipped toilets are located before the entrance.
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OPLONTI: we left the sore point at the end, because the Villa di Poppea is not accessible anywhere, and so we show you a fragment of a fresco as a "taste", hoping that one day the superintendency will allow us to visit this beautiful villa.
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Let's now talk about some solutions that we propose for lunch, valid whether you visit Herculaneum, Boscoreale or Stabiae. However, it is a question of getting back into the car. The minor route takes us over the sea to Torre del Greco:
La voce del mare (*): Via Spiaggia del Fronte 22, Torre del Greco +39 081 3580406 / 333 248 4584 www.ristorantelavocedelmare.it For the second solution you have to travel about twenty kilometers on average and go to Monte Faito, where we find two excellent restaurants with our requirements: Villa Chiara Garden & Kitchen (*): Via Pacognano 19, Vico Equense +39 081 8029165 / 3393615726 La Ginestra (farmhouse) (*): Via Tessa 2, fraz. S. Maria del Castello, Vico Equense +39 081 8023211 (*) symbol indicating the presence of toilets equipped for the disabled